New Appreciations
by Raine Ito
Summary: A romantic and angsty FF7 drama starring Cid and Shera. Cid comes back to his hometown to discover a new life...and realize he has to fight not to lose it. (Please R&R, rated for strong language and angst)
1. Homecoming

Cid Highwind stood on a hill, overlooking his hometown, watching the sunlight of early morning stream in. He scratched the back of his head nervously, and blew out a quick breath. _God, it's been so long, _he thought. The town looked basically the same way it always had. People walking through rather dirty streets, and past…his home. He took another deep breath, expelling it again, and straightening his shoulders, stepping forward down the path to Rocket town.

He passed people on the way, people he knew, people he didn't know, and old buildings and homes that he had grown so accustomed to. The people who knew him gave him strange looks as he walked by, some averting their eyes from the man who had destroyed their dream, and then left with a group of reckless 'heroes.' He couldn't really blame them. He'd feel the same way himself, if it had been he who'd had to watch the rocket deteriorate over the years, while the person who'd stopped it's launch went adventuring. _I'll just turn around and walk out, _he thought. _They don't want me here. I'll just leave, and…_

Turning to do so, he came to face his own house, and stopped dead. Shaking his head at his own foolishness, he stepped forward, and cautiously, nervously opened the door. No sounds came from within as he walked inside, and his heart began to beat faster. _I've abandoned her all this time, that idiot. What if something's happened to her? _He found himself picking up speed, running to the end of the hall, and throwing the door open, rushing outside-

She was there, sitting with her back to him on the grass, leaning on her elbows and gazing up at the sky. She seemed entirely lost in thought as he stepped forward, and stood for a moment, unsure of what to say to this person he'd left behind 2 years ago, without a word of goodbye. He cleared his throat and shuffled his feet in confusion. Slowly, she turned around, stood up, and looked at him, eyes wide. "…Captain." _Shera. _She stood there for a moment, then a large smile spread over her face, and she rushed forward, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him.

"What the-?? Shera, what the hell you doing huggin' me like that in the middle of the town? You tryin' to embarrass the livin' daylights outta me??"She backed up, still smiling. "I-I'm sorry, Captain. I'm…very glad you're home." His heart was beating fast, and he couldn't explain to himself why. "Yeah, yeah, me too. I'm hungry. I need something to eat." She immediately nodded and went inside, calling over her shoulder,"Coming right up!"

He stood where Shera had been after watching her go, looking at the sky the way she had been. He could understand why she found it so fascinating. It was, he admitted grudgingly to himself, good to be home.

****************

Lounging in a chair at the table, Cid listened to Shera whistling while she tinkered with the controls on the TV. "It's been a long time since I've used it," she explained. "I never really watch the news or anything. I guess…I didn't really want…" she suddenly stopped speaking, and bent down out of view. He frowned, and realized that she was probably going to say, "didn't want to hear about something bad happening to you." He coughed gruffly, not really sure what to say or make of this situation. _It's been too long…_

_ _

__"I'm gonna go outside for minute," he called at her, and walked outside. He gazed up at the rocket, closing his eyes and imagining a time when he might have been inside that rocket, sailing along in outer space, the first man to see the starts and the land of other worlds. "Stupid Shera," he muttered…but he knew he didn't really blame her. He couldn't blame her anymore. Though he'd never say it out loud…he'd missed her too much. He'd missed the whole town too much.

Feeling a touch on his shoulder, he turned around, and came face to face with the lady in question. "Aaah! What you doin' sneakin' up on me??" Shera shook her head. "Lunch is ready." "Oh…uh…thanks." She blinked. "W-what?" He turned around, having been heading back to the house. "What's wrong?" "W-what did you just say?" She looked dumbstruck. "Hey, what's wrong with what I said??" She shook her head again, as if to clear it. "You…thanked me." He cleared his throat gruffly, and turned away again. "Yeah, well."

Shera stood, watching him go, with a big smile on her face.

(This is not the end!!!! This is going to be a long saga, with lots of good stuff, so stay tuned!! Oh, and please R&R!)


	2. Never a peaceful moment

Late at night, while she was in bed, Shera heard the creaking of the floorboards in the next room

Late at night, while she was in bed, Shera heard the creaking of the floorboards in the next room. Trained to react to any noise from that room, she quietly got out of bed and dressed. Realizing the routine of 2 years ago, she had to smile to herself, as she followed the sounds of his footsteps out the front door, and down the path towards the 'lookout point.'

Sure enough, there stood the Captain, gazing up at the sky-no, gazing up at the rocket, leaning over the town, with a pensive look on his face. She knew better then to disturb him when he was in one of his thoughtful moods. So she just stood, a few paces behind him, and watched him, as he watched the rocket. Eventually she turned around, and went back into the house.

When he came in later, Cid didn't seem to think anything of the fact that there was a pot of tea all ready to pour on the table, but Shera didn't care. She crawled into bed again, and fell quickly asleep, utterly at peace with the world, as most people would never be after what she was usually put through. 

Cid was less unaware than he appeared. He had known the whole time that she was behind him, and it had oddly pleased him that she was concerned and caring. "Stupid over-worried girl," he muttered to himself. "Should be getting' her rest, not worryin' bout me." He climbed into his own bed, mumbling to himself until he fell asleep. _Same old routine, _he thought.

****************

Shera awoke the next morning to a loud roaring going on outside. She fell out of bed, and scrambled to the window, in her nightgown, her hair still unkempt and falling down around her shoulders. Looking outside, she saw a mob of people pounding at the door, apparently trying to break it down. "AaaaAH! Captain!" She tripped on the way to his room, and fell over. "Cap-!" "S'aight, calm down."

He was standing by the window, looking out with a calculating expression on his face. "Don't suppose they're here to borrow a goddamn cup of sugar, huh?" He extended a hand and helped Shera up. "Get in the back." "But, Captain, I-!" He turned on her. "You heard me, girl! Get the hell in the back of the house! This's gonna get really ugly. Now go!" He shoved her in the proffered direction, and, opened the door, yelling out. "Yeah, whaddaya want? Can't a guy get a bit of goddamn sleep in this town??"

There was momentary silence from the raging throng outside. Then it roared to life again. "You've got some nerve coming back here after what you done, Highwind!" "Take your ship and get the hell out of our town!" "We were all doing all right until you showed up! Revived the old memories!" "You ruined our dreams!" "Aight, stow it!" Cid yelled. An angry person yelled back, "You've got no right to tell us what to do." "YES HE DOES."

Everyone stopped short at the voice, even Cid. "Wha-?" He spun around, and saw Shera standing behind him, eyes flashing. "He's got every right to tell you what to do. Look at you all," and she filled her voice with as much scorn as she could muster, "standing here acting as if you own the world. You think you all have a right to do this? Sure, you say, Cid ruined your dreams. Sure, you say, Cid stopped the rocket, and the town's hopes with it. That only proves he has more courage, more morality, more kindness then any of you. So, you're saying that in your case, you would have launched the rocket? You would have killed me? Is that what you're all saying? I was ready to die for the dreams of this town. Seeing what I've seen today, I don't think I'd do it again. You disgust me, all of you." She turned away.

There was utter silence in the whole town for a full 5 minutes, with Shera glaring, Cid staring in amazement, and the townspeople sticking to their own thoughts. Then, one person spoke out, "Just go, Cid. Just go. We don't want you around this town anymore. And that's all we gotta say. Maybe you had your reasons for doing it, but it's done, and you did it, reasons or none. So just get out." Then they all turned, and left, mumbling amongst themselves.

Shera sighed. "Captain, don't even listen to them. They're-!" He shook his head to quiet her. "Nah, Shera, they're right." "But-But-!" "No buts. They're right. I ruined their dreams, their lives…their hopes for the future. And you played your part in it, so shaddup about all this righteousness stuff. I'm gonna go pack. I shouldn't stay here. This ain't my home anymore."

Shera reached out a hand, and grasped his shoulder. "But…you just came…home…" She looked so lost, completely different from the blaring angry girl he'd seen only a moment before. "Well…" He scratched the back of his head. "I…dunno, I guess…you could…come…with me. But nah, that's a bad-!" She had disappeared into her room, calling over her shoulder, "I'll just hurry up and pack!"

He stared at the doorway, blinking in confusion, and thinking to say something about the danger of the rest of the world, and how she should stay home and…well…stay home. But he shrugged, and yelled, "Make it quick, I don't have all day!"

(CHAPTER THREE coming soon! Stay tuned! J Please R&R!)


	3. Foundation of Flames

As he pulled his bags back up on to the Highwind, Cid turned to look one last time at the town that wanted nothing more than to forget his name forever. Yet, he knew he'd never forget them, and it satisfied him to know that, despite the fact that he was leaving, they'd never really forget him, either. But it wasn't a happy satisfaction, the kind you get when you know you've done a good job. It was a grim satisfaction. Cid knew that he was leaving for good this time. He wasn't coming back. Ever. 

Shera called down to him from the deck. "Hurry, Captain! I'm worried what those people might do if you're not gone when they come out to go to work!" "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming, shut yer trap." "Yes sir," she said cheerfully, turning around to pick up her bags and enter the ship. Muttering under his breath, Cid followed her down the stairwell to the cockpit. "Can't for the life of me figure out why I'm letting you come along, Shera," he said, mostly to himself. "Yer just gonna get in the way." 

Shera wasn't listening, and Cid turned around, to see her staring at something on the desk. "Yeah, what're ya starin' at?" Cid suddenly realized what it might be, and ran forward…too late. Shera lifted the photograph and smiled at him. "Just dusting it off a bit. This place needs to be cleaned a little better." She put the photo down again, and ascended the stairs to watch them take off. Cid picked up the picture she'd been looking at-a picture of herself that he'd kept there since he left the town. "Dammit," he muttered.

Taking the controls, Cid launched the Highwind, watching the town disappear below him, in the rays of early morning. "God, I'm gonna miss that place," he thought. "No, you won't." Shera was behind him. "Who're you to tell me what I will and will not do, huh??" She smiled. "No one. I just know you. You won't think about that town much again. It's behind you." She stood behind him and watched him steer for a while, shuffling her feet and looking around. "Jes say it," he muttered. "What's up?" 

"Well…I was…wondering if you'd let me…er…learn to fly the ship?" Cid started. "Wha-WHAT??" "Just a thought," murmured Shera. "If I learned to fly it, you could have some time to do other things. Give you more time to yourself. Only a suggestion." She turned to leave. Cid coughed. "Hey, uh, you wanna learn or not? Can't teach you if yer on the other side of the ship." He sounded irritable, but Shera beamed at him. "Yes, sir!"

************

"YaaaaAAAH! Watch where yer flying my ship, girl!" Cid grabbed Shera's wrists and executed a near-miss maneuver around some cliffs. "Sorry, Captain." Shera looked sheepish. "You gotta have a gentle touch with the controls, no wild jerky movements, or we'll crash. 'Ere, lemme take over for a while, you're getting there." Shera stepped back and let him take the controls. "Thank you." "Mmm?" He looked over his shoulder. "For what?" "LOOK OUT!" "Huh?? AAAAH!"

While he'd been talking, they'd lost more and more altitude, until they were staring right into the face of the cliff Cid had avoided earlier. Cid pulled back on the controls, but they didn't seem to want to respond. There was no way around it, he knew they were going to hit. "Hit the deck!" Cid pushed Shera down onto the ground and shielded her from the glass and other objects he knew would be flying in a minute. There was a huge tremor, and a splintering of glass as a huge reverberating crash went through the entire ship. It plummeted into the forest below.

When they hit the ground, everything was on fire from the impact. "Dammit, Shera, get up!" Cid yelled. "We gotta get outta here!" She pulled herself to her feet and ran forward, coughing with the smoke and the flames all around her. "Let's GO! C'MON!" He pulled her along with him as he dodged falling debris, trying to reach the doorway and get away from the burning Highwind. The light shone in through the broken doorway, and he threw himself outside, rolling in the grass to get away from the flames, pulling Shera with him.

(More coming soon! ~.^)


	4. Sunny with a chance of Nostalgia

Cid lay on the ground, panting heavily. He turned and saw Shera lying in the grass nearby, and pulled himself over to her. "Hey, girl, you ok?" "Ugh." She opened her eyes and slowly dragged herself to her feet. "The Highwind," she began. "It's gone," muttered Cid. Shera remained silent. "Anyway, we're alive, which is better than nothing." He looked around. "Think I owe you an apology, Shera. Givin' you all that crap about not flyin' the ship right, then I go and crash the goddamn thing into a cliff."

Shera shook her head. "No, it was my fault, I distracted-!" "Would you stop blamin' yourself for every damn thing that happens around here??" Cid roared. "It's not yer fault! Now siddown and shaddup!" He started pacing around in circles as Shera slowly sat down and stared at him. "You've…changed…" she commented, watching him. "Dunno what yer talkin' about," he muttered. "Yes…" He turned on her. "Yes what??" She shook her head. "Nothing."

He turned away again. "I'm gonna go and see if I can find somewhere to park our asses for a while. Gotta be some kind of settlement around here. Wait here." He stormed off into the woods, and Shera watched where he'd gone for some time, looking thoughtful. 

Cid stormed on through the forest underbrush for a good 30 minutes before realizing that there wasn't any benefit to acting like a raging elephant. He plunked down on the ground and sighed heavily. "Stupid Shera, doesn't know what she's talking about." But he knew she was right. He had changed. Something had happened to him, and he didn't know what it was. "People change," he said to himself. "Fact of life."

He got up again and walked on, more calmly. He walked on for a while longer, lost in thought. "Wonder if-AAAAH!" Cid fell forward, barely catching himself and throwing himself backwards just in time to avoid tumbling down into a gaping chasm in the earth. "What the-??" He stared down into the chasm, suddenly recognizing it for what it was. "Well, if it isn't an old friend," he muttered. 

He was standing on the edge of the place where the temple of the ancients had been. _I've got a lot of old memories from this place, _he thought. _Wonder if all that stuff is true, if dead people really 'travel back to the planet.'_ He wasn't sure whether or not he believed it, but he said, "Hey there, Aeris," anyway. Then he sighed again, and headed back to where Shera was waiting.

************

Shera was still sitting by herself when Cid arrived on the scene. "Ah," he began, "Can't really find any civilization around here, figure we'll just wait until someone comes for a tourist visit to pick us up." She nodded, still very quiet. "Yeah, what's wrong?" He felt oddly annoyed with her, sitting there, seemingly unconcerned, while they were stranded on some island somewhere with no towns or cities anywhere, surrounded by wide ocean. "Why don't you say anything."

Shera seemed to snap to life. "Oh, I'm…sorry. I'm just…nothing. Nevermind." She seemed detached, disturbed by something. Cid blew out a breath. "Aight, whatever. Anyway, we should settle down somewhere for the night. Make some kind of camp. Don't really want to see any fire again for a while, but we'll have to make one, gets mighty cold this time of year." He started off towards the temple of the ancients, and looked over his shoulder when he didn't hear her footsteps behind him. "C'MON!" 

Shera turned and stared into the sky for a moment, then ran off behind him. "Coming!"

(Next chapter coming soon! Please review!! Don't care if you flame me, and constructive criticism is good too!!! Please?? J )


	5. Peaceful Pressure

Three days later, Cid wasn't feeling so sure anymore

Three days later, Cid wasn't feeling so sure anymore. "Dammit Shera, isn't there ANYONE who would bother coming down to check when they see a GOD DAMNED FOREST FIRE???" He threw himself down on a log, and downed some of the tea Shera had managed to make from leaves she'd found on the island. Shera, quite wisely, said nothing, and sipped her own tea, watching the flames of the fire before them. Cid sighed. "'M sorry. Not your fault. Shouldn't be givin' you all this crap about it."

Shera shook her head, and smiled slightly to herself. "That's alright. It's partly my-!" "NO IT'S NOT!" Cid lunged to his feet, and paced back and forth in front of her."It's MY fault. I got you into this, I crashed the ship, and I got us in this situation. NOW DRINK YOUR GODDAMN TEA!" He sat down again and glared resolutely at the fire. Shera watched him for a while longer, then gazed back into the fire, apparently unperturbed. "Dunno how you do that," Cid muttered. "Do what?" Shera asked.

Cid looked back at her. "Listen to me yellin' and rantin' at you, and then just sit there and drink your tea like it don't matter. Shouldn't be takin' all this from me. Should at least be sayin' something. Dunno how you live with me. Wouldn't live with myself if I had the choice." It's getting to him, thought Shera. He's never doubted himself before. Cid continued. "If I were you, I'd just up and leave." Shera looked amused. "Nowhere to go, Captain." He sighed again. "Yeah, that's true."

"But still," he went on, "When we get out of this, you should get away from me. I'm nothin' but trouble. I always get you into problems like this, riskin' your life for no good reason. You should just leave. That is...if we ever get out of this. Which it doesn't look like we will, does it?" He hung his head. "Dammit, Shera, I'm just a no good-!" "Stop it!" Shera rose from her seat.

"Stop putting yourself down, and insulting yourself! Just stop it! Do you know why I'm here? Am I here because I think you're a no good worthless failure, like you keep calling yourself??" Cid looked dumbfounded. "Shera?" "Yes, I am angry. And yes, I am tired," she said. "I'm angry at those people for telling you that you ruined their dreams. For telling you that you're a worthless nothing. And, yes, Captain, I'm angry at you for believing them. Captain, you could do anything, anything if you really wanted to. And those idiots just can't appreciate you, can't see in you what I do. But don't you DARE believe them for a moment. Because you're..." she trailed off, and sat down, staring at the ground, "wonderful."

Cid stared at her for a long time, then hazarded to say, "Shera?" She shook her head. "You've always been wonderful. You've always been my hero, going off to help save the planet...trying so hard to be the first man in outer space. And you will be, too. You will be." Her voice got much softer. "And I wish..." she didn't say anything. Cid leaned closer, but didn't say anything. "I wish...I could be there with you...just to be with you, for as long as I can."

No one said anything for a few moments, and Shera just stared at the ground, eyes closed. Cid stared at Shera, a million different thoughts running through his head, none of which he found himself able to vocalize. "Shera," he said for the third time, "I..." he stood up, and walked over to sit beside her. "Lemme tell you a story." He sat up straight, and stretched. "When I was off helping to 'save the world,' I kept thinking about something I'd done a while ago. When I'd had that chance to go and be the first man in outer space, I wasn't thinking of anything else. I was a selfish idiot." "You were never-!" "Lemme finish." He put a finger to her lips. "Then you came along and got everyone in that mess." He said it kindly, without any disgust or malice. "I think, Shera, that that was possibly the best thing you ever did for me." She looked up at him. "You opened my eyes to the real important things in life."

"Shera, as long as you believe in me, as long as you think the things that you just said, yer right, I'll always be able to do anything I want. Because you think I can. Because you believe in me. And that's all that matters." Slowly, he took Shera in his arms, and she rested her head against his shoulder, her eyes closed. Then, he kissed her, warmly and passionately, for a long time.

"I love you Shera. I always have. We'll get out of this together. Don't worry. We'll get out of this together." Shera smiled up at him. "I know, because...I believe in you."

(Will they get out of it together? Make sure to check for the next installment tomorrow!! Please review!)


	6. For the love of the Planet

So they waited a week. And no one came. Cid killed animals for them to live off of and Shera found a few fruit trees on the other side of the island. They lived off this, as well as Shera's tea. And it was getting colder. After another week, they were still alone, and it was still getting colder. After three weeks, they were running out of food, and it was very, very cold. After a month, they had almost entirely run out of food, and it looked as if it was going to be a very quickly ended winter.

"Dammit," commented Cid, rubbing his hands together and blowing into the air, watching the cold breath disappear in front of his eyes. "Not sure how much longer I can keep this up." He turned and looked at Shera, lying on the ground with her eyes closed. "Figure maybe it's time to built a raft and try to cross the ocean on a pile of sticks." He laughed humorlessly. Shera said nothing. He got up and walked over. "Hey, Shera?"

She still lay on the ground with her eyes closed, breathing slowly in and out. "So…cold…" she murmured. Cid, alarmed, knelt down beside her. "You ok? Fire isn't helpin' any?" Shera opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Can't…feel…anything…where…? Co…cold…tired…" "SHERA! Dammit, Shera, listen to me!" He grabbed her hands, and tried to warm them in his. "You gotta hang in there, ok? I'm gonna get us the hell out of here, but you gotta hang on!" She closed her eyes. "So…cold…" She fell silent.

In horror, Cid, pulled her to him, held her close, could feel her heart still beating. _She's still breathing, she's still alive, c'mon Shera, live,_ he thought. "Shera," he said. "SHERA." He spoke her name again and again, but she didn't respond. _She lives, she lives, she lives, _he kept telling himself. But he knew it wouldn't be for much longer if he couldn't find some way to keep her alive. 

Gently, he picked her up, and carried her to the place where the Temple of the Ancients used to stand. He sat there with her for a while, holding her to him, making sure that she stayed warm, and kept breathing. It started raining, and Cid sat there for some time longer, letting the rain drench him, not caring, not feeling it. "Shera," he whispered. Her heart had stopped beating.

Slowly, he stood up, and laid Shera down. Tears stung his cheeks, and he stared into the chasm before him, and then looked into the sky. "I protected you," he screamed at the planet. "I helped fight this damned war for you! I've lost friends to save the god damned planet!" He was sobbing now, throwing his challenges at the planet that was killing the only person he really cared about. "And what do you do? YOU KILL HER. I've been fightin' to save this stupid, cruel, god damned planet! I ain't ever given up!"

He sank to his knees. "DON'T YOU DARE LET HER DIE! Is this what you do to the people who try to help save your sorry ass? The ancients were wrong," He muttered, crumpling to the ground. "You ain't worth shit. Not if you kill the people who try to help you. You ain't worth shit. I loved her…Shera…I love you…"

Just as Cid crumpled to the ground, a light began to glow from the inside of the chasm. It rose higher and higher, until it engulfed the whole area in blinding green light. "The hell?" Asked Cid. It flowed around him and Shera and then suddenly…was gone. As if it had been turned off. He heard a mumbling behind him, and whirled, to see Shera opening her eyes. "SHERA???" She stood up, looking tired.

He ran over to her and took her in his arms. Then he looked up into the sky, and smiled. "'M sorry," he said. "Sometimes, even I'm wrong."

(stay tuned for the epilogue tomorrow!)


	7. Epilogue

The next day, a plane arrived. Cid and Shera were sitting in the open forest area they had called their home for a month, when they heard the strange whirring outside. "I'd know that anywhere…a propeller!" Cid jumped up, grabbing Shera's hand and pulling her outside, but she was faster and broke away, getting there first. He laughed, and swept her up into his arms, hailing the plane with one hand and smiling ear to ear. "We're saved!"

The plane circled a few times, then landed in their clearing. The pilot stepped out, and took off his helmet…revealing a familiar brunette head with a green headband and a cocky smile. "Hey, old man, good thing we happened along, huh?" "YUFFIE????" Cid looked incredulous. Barrett and Red stepped out after her, and grinned. Barrett cocked a finger at the plane. "You gonna get in or what? We saw the flames. Dunno how long you've been here, but you look pretty damn bad." They didn't need a second urging.

Shera and Cid sat in the back of the plane, and Shera looked out the window, watching the land disappear below. She leaned her head on Cid's shoulder, and said, "Captain?" "Yeah?" He replied looking down at her. "Your friends…have come looking for you…does that mean you're going to have to…leave?" He sighed, and crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah, probably. That damned meteor's still up in the sky, and we can't rest till it ain't there anymore." Shera stared at the ground.

Cid put a finger under her chin and tilted it up, making her look at him. "But let me promise you something. I'm gonna come back when this is all over. That's a solemn promise, so you'd better believe it. I'm gonna come back, and you're gonna wait for me, right?" Shera smiled. "What else could I do?" "Good then." He grinned, and clapped her on the shoulder.

She smiled, and thought for a while about a new life, a life they could lead together. Shera Highwind, she thought, and loved the ring of that name. Has possibilities, she thought. 


End file.
